Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine

UPDATE, 5:43 p.m. ET: Washington said he left a phone message today with MLB officials giving them the go-ahead to resume weekly drug testing, to assure everyone he's clean. Washington recently completed the required weekly testing brought about by his positive test and was no longer subject to weekly testing.

He also said his cocaine use occurred just before the All-Star break in July 2009; the MLB drug test was administered shortly after the All-Star break.

UPDATE, 4:55 p.m. ET: USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale talked to several players in the Texas Rangers clubhouse and learned that at least five veterans talked to Ron Washington before this morning's team meeting in which the manager discussed his cocaine use last year. Veteran third baseman Michael Young was also among the players to speak during the meeting.

Outfielder Josh Hamilton, whose battles with drug and alcohol addiction delayed what became an All-Star career, and said he hopes people don't compare him and the manager.

"Me and Wash's stories are not anywhere close to the same," Hamilton said. "Wash cares about people. I just cared about myself. I'm sure everybody is going to tie me and Wash together and that is not the case."

During the team meeting, Washington asked the players if anybody objected to him continuing as manager. But Hamilton said it was clear to the players that their manager deeply regretted his mistake.

"Everybody has his respect in here," Hamilton said. "Wash was very emotional. You could tell he was a broken man. It was a bad choice he made."

UPDATE, 3:38 p.m. ET: Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington on his cocaine use last year: "I am truly sorry for my careless, dangerous and frankly stupid behavior last year. I have learned a lot about myself personally, and I recognize that this episode was an attempt to dodge personal anxieties and personal issues I needed to confront. That was the wrong way to do it. It was self serving and believe me not worth it."

UPDATE, 3:07 p.m. ET: Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and Washington said at a news conference today that the manager offered to resign at the time he told the club about his cocaine use. The Rangers declined. Washington also said: "This was the only time I used this drug." Thirty players were in attendance for the news conference after a team meeting this morning to inform them about the forthcoming revelation. The Rangers play a night game in Peoria, Ariz.

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Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine in a Major League Baseball-administered drug test, SI.com reported today. Washington confirmed to USA TODAY that he did test positive.

"I made a mistake," Washington told USA TODAY at Rangers camp in Surprise, Ariz. "I thought it was all behind me. I've done everything Major League Baseball has asked me to do."

SI.com also notes that Washington, 57, took the unusual step of informing MLB officials that it was possible he'd test positive before the test came back.

The Rangers held a team meeting this morning to discuss the matter before SI's report went public. They also scheduled a 2 p.m. ET news conference.

Just two years ago, Washington and other managers would not have been subject to testing. But as part of the recommendations made by the Mitchell Report in December 2007, baseball added testing for managers, coaches and clubhouse personnel.

Punishment for offenders is on a case-by-case basis, but there generally are no punitive measures for first-time offenders.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told SI.com that Washington will keep his job after the manager made assurances he will not use the drug again.

Said Daniels:

"We asked a lot of questions and worked through Major League Baseball's program, where Ron had appropriate consultation, support and testing. But for all the reasons we hired him in the first place, we felt and continued to feel that he's the right guy to lead the club. He made a significant mistake. He also admitted to it and took steps to ensure that it won't happen again."

Washington tied for fourth in American League Manager of the Year voting in 2009. His club had to face another drug-related distraction that season when outfielder Josh Hamilton, whose battles with addiction delayed what became an All-Star career, admitted he suffered a relapse with alcohol in spring training.

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